The Boston Tea Party (episode)
This is an article for The Boston Tea Party (episode). Do you mean The Boston Tea Party (Historical Event)? The Boston Tea Party '''was the first episode of Liberty's Kids. Premise James Hiller, Henri LeFevbre, and Moses go to Boston to pick up Sarah Phillips from the Dartmouth. As they arrive, the colonists of Boston attack the Dartmouth, tossing the tea stored on the ship overboard in retribution against the Tea Act in what would be known as the Boston Tea Party. Episode Summary Sarah Phillips was writing a letter to her mother below the deck of the Dartmouth ship while a storm brewed outside. She expressed her anticipation towards staying with Dr. Benjamin Franklin's home in Philadelphia while she awaited her father's return from the wilderness. Sarah ended her letter with the promise to write to her mother daily. At the Pennsylvania Gazette in Philadelphia, Moses freed James after he carelessly got his shirt caught in the printing press again. James mentioned his aspirations to not only be a printer, but a journalist. Moses reminded him that he was only an apprentice with much to learn about the trade.Henri ran in with a letter addressed to Moses from Benjamin Franklin in London. The letter explained that Sarah would be arriving at Boston rather than Philadelphia. Moses knew that there had been trouble at the Massachusetts Bay colony, so the three made haste to collect Sarah. Lady Sarah Philips expressed her concerns about her daughter to Benjamin Franklin as they rode through the streets of London. Benjamin reassured her that Sarah would be safe in Philadelphia with James, Moses, and Henri. Samuel Adams began to agitate the patrons of a bar in Boston with recollections of Parliament's ill treatment of the American colonies. First, the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act increased taxes without the colonists' consent. The Boston Massacre happened soon after, where several men were killed by British soldiers in a riot. Samuel then addressed the recent Tea Tax, which was also passed without the colonists' vote. The bar patrons yell in agreement as James, Henri, and Moses arrived in a horse-drawn wagon. Moses explained to the boys that the wagon's axle must be repaired before they leave with Sarah. At the docks, Sarah overlooks Boston Harbor while angry colonists spotted the Dartmouth. Samuel Adams rallied the colonists to begin their attack on Boston Harbor. The men rubbed tobacco ashes on their cheeks and tucked feathers in their hair to disguise their appearances. Moses, James, and Henri hid while the rioters ran past them toward the Dartmouth. James observed that an important event could have been taking place. He suggested that the group should investigate, to which Moses agreed. The disguised colonists boarded the Dartmouth and began dumping its crates of tea overboard. When James asked why, Adams told him that Parliament raised the Tea Tax against the will of the colonies. The riot was meant to bring the colonists' discontent to Parliament's attention, and hopefully get them to change their ways in the colonists's favor. Henri tossed a handful tea leaves overboard while chanting the rioters' key phrase, "No taxation without representation!" James then decides to go below deck, but reminds Henri to stay out of trouble. Meanwhile, Moses searches for Sarah Philips. When the younger reporter got there, he was greeted with a pillow to the head. "You'll never take me alive!" James realizes that he found the Sarah Philips that they were looking for, correcting her that he's no Indian and began interviewing her about the riot. While, digging for a quill in his satchel, they two exchange their names, Sarah remarks that she has a very rude encounter in America. This made James explains that "We have been looking for you." Mainly, Benjamin Franklin. Moses came informed them that they have to leave before the redcoats arrest them. Since they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, the King's Regulars incorrectly thought that the reporters are part of the "Indians" and troublemakers. They, Moses and the kids, barely escaped; while briefly separated, they were able to reunite in the nearby docks. He has their get away wagon ready. Heading back into the city, they tricked the local constable, and sought shelter to lay low. Fortunately, Moses knows some friends. Trivia * '''Historical Inaccuracy: While rallying fellow Bostonians in a bar, Samuel Adams declares "It's time for us to band together as Sons of Liberty. It's time for us to become Patriots!". The vastly preferred nomenclature for the anti-government forces at the time was "Whigs". It wasn't until much later that they would begin to call themselves Patriots, and even then, it was still a minority who adopted the term. ** In addition, in actuality, Samuel Adams was not present when the Sons of Liberty was first established. Rather, it was a group of nine men led by Thomas Crafts (a painter) and George Trott (a jeweler) who had banded together to resist the Stamp Act, and called themselves the Loyal Nine. * Historical Inaccuracy: 'The episode implies that the ''Dartmouth had just come into the harbor on December 16, when in actuality, it had been in the harbor for 18 days (November 28 - December 16). * '''Historical Inaccuracy: '''The episode depicts the Boston Tea Party as being performed by a mob of crazed men tossing the tea overboard in wildly activity. In actuality, the destruction of the tea was conducted in an orderly manner. * '''Historical Inaccuracy: '''Near the end of the Tea Party, Samuel Adams spots British soldiers coming and shouts "Redcoats! Abandon ship!". However, no British soldiers ever got involved because: they were too far away, the ships were private property and not government property, and they didn't want a repeat of the Boston Massacre. * '''Historical Inaccuracy: '''Moses recites one of Phillis Wheatley's poems called "An Address to the Atheist". However, this particular poem was never published. * '''Historical Inaccuracy: '''By the time of the Boston Tea Party, Phillis Wheatley was no longer a slave. She had received her manumission by October 18, 1773. ** With regard to her brief biography, Wheatley never knew Greek, and she actually began publishing individual poems in newspapers and magazines as early as 1767, and her first collection of poems was published in London in 1773. * '''Goof: When Henri makes his first appearance in the series, he mentions that the letter from Dr. Franklin he is holding is addressed to Moses. Henri is shown to be illiterate until later episodes of the series, when he receives proper tutoring from Moses and John Quincy Adams. Quotes Writers Written by: Joelle Choucair Executive Producers: Andy Heyward, Michael Maliani, Robby London Category:Episodes Category:Liberty's Kids